Echinacea plant named &#39;Cranberry Cupcake&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Echinacea  plant named ‘Cranberry Cupcake’ characterized by rose pink ray florets, enlarged cranberry pink disc florets forming an anemone-type inflorescence, a dwarf habit with strong stems, and excellent vigor.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Echinacea spp.

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Cranberry Cupcake’

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEchinacea and given the cultivar name ‘Cranberry Cupcake’. Echinacea isin the family Asteraceae. This new cultivar is a third generationseeding originating from a planned breeding program using Echinaceapurpurea ‘Razzmatazz’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,894) as the seed parent inthe original cross and unnamed proprietary, unreleased interspecifichybrids for the pollen parent. The exact parents of this selection areunknown, unnamed, proprietary plants.

Compared to Echinacea purpurea ‘Razzmatazz’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,894), the seed parent in the original breeding line, the new varietyhas a much more compact habit.

Compared to Echinacea purpurea ‘Pink Double Delight’, the new cultivaris shorter with a higher crown count, and has fuller inflorescences withmore ray florets.

This new Echinacea cultivar is distinguished by:

1. rose pink ray florets,

2. enlarged cranberry pink disc florets forming an anemone-typeinflorescence,

3. a multicrown, dwarf habit with strong stems, and

4. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the inflorescences and habit of Echinacea ‘CranberryCupcake’ as a one and one-half-year-old in the trial field in full sunin late July in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows the same age plant later in full bloom in the garden.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Echinacea cultivarbased on observations of a 1 and one-half-year-old specimens growing inthe ground in the trial beds in full sun in Canby, Oreg. Canby is inZone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normalrainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year in the trial fields in Canby,Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 4 to 9.        -   Size.—grows to about 53 cm wide and 40 cm tall to top of            inflorescences.        -   Form.—basal clump, with about 50 stems from the base.        -   Vigor.—excellent.        -   Roots.—fibrous, with many downward growing and few laterals,            ivory in color, Yellow White 158D, roots develop easily from            cuttings from the crown.-   Stem (flowering):    -   -   Type.—ascending, with 0 to 3 flowering branches off the main            flowering stems.        -   Size.—to 38 cm tall to a terminal inflorescence and 6 mm            wide at base Internode length — 1.5 cm to 6 cm Surface            texture — strigose Color — Yellow Green 145A mottled Yellow            Green 146A.-   Leaf (basal):    -   -   Type.—simple Shape — lanceolate Arrangement — basal Blade            size — grows to 11.5 cm long and 4 cm wide Margins —            sparsely serrate, slightly undulate Apex — acute Base —            attenuate Surface texture — strigose on both sides Venation            — pinnate Color — closest to: topside, Green 137A, bottom            side Yellow Green 147B Petiole description — grows to 9.5 cm            long and 2 mm wide, strigose, Yellow Green 147C.-   Leaf (stem):    -   -   Type.—simple.        -   Shape.—ovate to lanceolate.        -   Arrangement.—alternate.        -   Blade size.—grows to 13 cm long and 3.2 cm wide.        -   Margins.—sparsely serrate, slightly undulate.        -   Apex.—acuminate.        -   Base.—attenuate.        -   Surface texture.—strigose on both sides.        -   Venation.—pinnate, with 3 main veins from the base.        -   Color.—topside, Yellow Green 147A, bottom side Yellow Green            147B.        -   Petiole description.—on lower leaves only, clasping, grows            to 9 cm long and 4 mm wide above the clasp, strigose, Yellow            Green 146C.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—composite on terminal stalked heads.        -   Number of flowering stems from the ground.—about 50.        -   Flowering stem.—grows to 38 cm tall from the base of the            plant to the terminal inflorescence and can grow to 14 cm            long from the top stem leaf to the base of an inflorescence;            sometimes branched, with 1 to 4 inflorescences per stem;            diameter growing to 6 mm wide near the inflorescence;            strigose; Yellow Green 145A mottled Yellow Green 146A.        -   Size.—grows to 8 cm wide and 4.5 cm deep as disc enlarges.        -   Form.—ray florets held slightly reflexed, mature disc is            conic.        -   Immature inflorescence.—grows to 3 cm wide and 1.5 cm deep,            ray florets held slightly upright and rolled up so only the            back color shows, Orange White 159B with tints of Greyed            Purple 185B, disc color two toned Yellow Green 147B and            Greyed Purple 187C.        -   Ray florets.—without pistil or stamen, about 22 full size            and about 5 to 10 undersize, full size florets grow to 40 mm            long and 6 mm wide, oblanceolate with the tip two toothed            (each acute), entire margins, base attenuate, glabrous on            both sides; topside color Red Purple 70C maturing to 70B,            bottom side Greyed Purple 186C.        -   Disc.—flat becoming conic, becoming 25 mm deep and 60 mm            wide with maturity, overall color is Red Purple 64A.        -   Disc florets.—about 400 in number, each with 1 pistil and 4            stamen, grow to 22 mm long and 5 mm wide, each with one            persistent bract (11 mm long with the top 2 mm colored            Greyed Purple 187A on tip then 1 mm Orange Red 32A, then            Yellow Green 148D to lower 6 mm White NN155B); showy 3 to 5            lobed corollas to 18 mm long and 5 mm wide, tubular on the            bottom with the lobes spread out like a fan, glabrous, back            side color Red Purple 59A on lobes lightening to White            NN155B at base, inside color Red Purple 64A on lobes to 64D            at base; pistil 10 mm long, ovary 4 mm long, White NN155A,            style 5 mm long Grayed Purple 186D, 2-branched stigma            spreading 1.5 mm wide, Greyed Purple 187A; stamen 5 mm long,            anthers 2.5 mm long and Greyed Purple N186A, filaments 2.5            mm long, White 155A, very little pollen, Orange 26B.        -   Phyllaries.—in 4 leafy series, area 3 cm wide and 5 mm deep,            lobes lanceolate in shape, reflexed, grow to 11 mm long and            3 mm wide, Yellow Green 146B, margins strigose, tip acute,            strigose on both sides.        -   Receptacle.—grows to 13 mm wide and 10 mm deep, White 155A.        -   Bloom period.—July through October in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—light, floral.        -   Lastingness.—each inflorescence lasts about two weeks in            Canby, Oreg.-   Seeds: none seen    -   -   Fertility.—poor.-   Disease and pests: Echinacea are susceptible to leaf miners, powdery    mildew, bacterial spots, and gray mold. None of these have been    observed on plants grown under commercial conditions in Canby, Oreg.    No resistance is known.

1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.